A SUFFOLK pub, forced to close for more than six months after heavy rain caused it to subside, is preparing for its reopening today.The Limeburners in Offton had to be evacuated on October 24 following a huge down-pouring of rain combined with a burst water pipe which resulted in water gushing out from under the car park.

A SUFFOLK pub, forced to close for more than six months after heavy rain caused it to subside, is preparing for its reopening today.

The Limeburners in Offton had to be evacuated on October 24 following a huge down-pouring of rain combined with a burst water pipe which resulted in water gushing out from under the car park.

Fourteen homes in the village were also left without water as a result of the deluge and the 250-year-old pub has been closed ever since.

However it is now due to reopen on June 6 with a grand opening ceremony two days later.

Mark 'Parks' Parker, bar manager at the pub, said: “I never thought it would be closed this long, I thought it would reopen before Christmas.

“I'm looking forward to it now because seven months is a long time.

“I think people have missed having it because you have to drive to get to the next pub.”

And Mr Parker said the pub had tried to see the positive side of the disaster by making improvements while the work to repair the damage was taking place.

He added: “They've put enough grout under the pub to support a runway so we're not going to have the same problems again.

“During the work we've had a few structural changes and we've decorated so there will be a few bits and pieces that will have changed when people come back.

“I'm looking forward to going back to normality.”

n Are you looking forward to the pub reopening? Is you home still damaged after the downpour in October? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.